Green Eyes
by Cara Lea
Summary: Four apprentices in the Clans begin having troubling nightmares, sending them on a quest where no Clan cat has ever ventured before. Only the prophecy this time calls that four will go...and only three will return. Book 4 of the Sunfire series!
1. Allegiances

**Allegiances:**

**StormClan:**

Leader- Silverstar- massive black she-cat with silver stripe on spine, amber eyes.

Deputy- Stormclaw- huge dark gray tom, amber eyes.

Medicine cat- Yellowflower- dark gray she-cat, yellow eyes.

**Warriors:**

Thornfang- black tom, green eyes.

Brownstripe- large brown she-cat, hazel eyes.  
_Apprentice- Thrushpaw_

Mudpelt- mottled brown tom, green eyes.

Barkclaw- light brown tom, hazel eyes.

Gingerstream- light brown she-cat, amber/red eyes.

Soddenfoot- mottled brown tom, amber eyes.

Moonpelt- black and yellow mottled she-cat, amber eyes

Hollowtail- black and white tom, yellow eyes.

Burntecho- dark gray and brown tom, one amber eye, one ice.  
_Apprentice- Bloompaw_

Walnutfur- dark brown tom, brown eyes.  
_Apprentice- Shadepaw_

Shadefrost- gray tom, purple eyes.  
_Apprentice- Nightpaw_

Fishtail- orange tabby tom, green eyes.  
_Apprentice- Applepaw_

Softfur- dark gray tom, amber eyes. Originally of FireClan.

Wispface- gentle silver queen, green eyes.

Stonetail- stone colored tom, blue eyes.

Dawnfrost- misty blue she-cat, blue eyes.

Mossface- dark gray tom, bracken spots, amber eyes.

Reedtail- dark mottled brown tabby, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Gorgepaw_

Goldenshadow- black tom, golden eyes.

**Apprentices**:

Gorgepaw- small mottled brown tom, ice eyes.

Nightpaw- dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes.

Shadepaw- dark gray tabby tom, ice eyes.

Applepaw- tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes.

Bloompaw- dark tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.

Thrushpaw- brown tabby tom, unusual green eyes.

**Queens**:

Lichenfur- large black she-cat with silver stripe on spine, amber eyes.  
_Kits- Fuzzykit, Stillkit_

Rainpelt- misty gray pelt, amber eyes.  
_Kits- Flashkit, Bubblekit, Tagkit, Mintkit (adopted kit)_

Hazelfoot- light brown she-cat, brown eyes.  
_Kits- Pinekit, Maplekit, Birchkit_

Speckledflower- brown tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Kits- Curlykit_

**Elders:**

Cherryheart- small tortoiseshell she-cat. Old medicine cat.

Stemheart- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.

**FireClan:**

Leader- Sunstar- lithe yellow tom, blue eyes.

Deputy- Gerbilfoot- really small, mottled tabby tom, tan feet, amber eyes, long whiskers and tail.  
_Apprentice- Sneezepaw_

Medicine cat- Foxtail- pretty orange tabby she-cat, white feet and tail tip.  
_Apprentice- Badgerpaw- dark tabby tom, ice eyes._

**Warriors:**

Curlyleaf- mottled tabby tom, amber eyes.

Flarepelt- red tabby tom, green eyes.

Dogface- dark brown tom, chocolate brown eyes.  
_Apprentice- Fieldpaw_

Littlewhisker- orange tabby tom, green eyes.

Wasptail- black tom, gray eyes.  
_Apprentice- Dovepaw_

Flamedawn- orange tabby she-cat with white splotches, blue eyes.  
_Apprentice- Shadowpaw_

Skyspots- misty blue she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Mushpaw_

Ashecho- light gray she-cat, amber eyes.

Grassfire- mottled brown tom, blue eyes.

Walkstep- beige fur, dark brown eyes.

Brownfur- brown tom, brown eyes.

Dustflight- brown tom, brown eyes.  
_Apprentice- Thunderpaw_

Twigheart- light brown she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Echopaw_

Scarflank- light gray tom, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Graypaw_

Briarfang- dark brown tom with darker flecks, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Streampaw_

Wettooth- dark ginger tom, amber eyes.

Cedartail- golden tabby tom, blue eyes, white underbelly.

Trailsong- tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes, white underbelly.

**Apprentices:**

Sneezepaw- orange and gray tabby tom, blue eyes.

Fieldpaw- orange tabby tom, amber eyes.

Mushpaw- mottled brown tabby she-cat, ice eyes, white underbelly.

Thunderpaw- dark gray tom, amber eyes.

Echopaw- tortoiseshell she-cat, ice eyes.

Graypaw- small light gray tom with dark blue eyes.

Dovepaw- dark gray she-cat with amber eyes.

Shadowpaw- black tom with amber eyes.

Streampaw- longhaired silver she-cat with black paws, tail and ear tips, unusual green eyes.

**Queens:**

Riversong- mottled brown she-cat, green eyes.  
_Kits- none yet_

Dappleclaw- misty tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Kits- Windkit, Willowkit_

Silverfrost- starry silver pelt, blue eyes.  
_Kits- Fastkit, Stripekit, Floodkit_

Breezedapple- tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Kits_- _Blizzardkit, Flarekit_

**Elders:**

Flashstreak- long-furred golden she-cat, blue eyes.

Flowertail- tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.

Horsefall- light brown she-cat, amber eyes.

**WaterClan:**

Leader- Mistystar- misty gray she-cat, blue eyes.

Deputy- Puddletail- stone gray tom, ice eyes.

Medicine cat- Cherryfoot- small tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.

**Warriors:**

Flowerdapple- tortoiseshell tabby she-cat, ice eyes.

Stripedawn- dark tabby tom, amber eyes.

Lynxfur- mottled gray and white she-cat, ice eyes.

Roottail- small dark tabby tom, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Beechpaw_

Spottedheart- black and white she-cat, blue eyes.

Thistletail- light brown tom with darker flecks, brown eyes.

Eaglewing- white tom with brown feet and tail tip, green eyes.

Tallfrost- misty she-cat, ice eyes.  
_Apprentice- Wingpaw_

Larchwing- tan she-cat, blue eyes.  
_Apprentice- Swamppaw_

Rockheart- stone blue tom, brown haze over pelt, deep set brown eyes.  
_Apprentice- Fallenpaw_

Snowpelt- white she-cat, blue eyes.

Waterfur- mottled gray she-cat, white underbelly, blue eyes.

Treeheart- brown she-cat, green eyes.  
_Apprentice- Deeppaw_

Frosttooth- huge white she-cat, blue eyes.

Birdnose- dark gray tom, blue eyes.

Mintpelt- white and gray she-cat, ice eyes.  
_Apprentice- Leafpaw_

Creekfoot- light brown tom, hazel eyes.

Shoretail- dark cream she-cat, green eyes.

Tansypelt- cream and black she-cat, amber eyes.

Flickclaw- gray tortoiseshell she-cat with darker flecks, amber eyes.

Twistleap- mottled gray tom, amber eyes.

Screechsong- dark gray tabby tom, dark amber eyes.

Swoopwing- dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes.

Whispersong- light gray (almost white) tom, gray eyes.

Cloudcrystal- white she-cat, blue eyes.

Orangetail- orange tabby tom, bright green eyes, originally of StormClan.

Windclaw- mottled brown tom, dark hazel eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Leafpaw- light brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes.

Beechpaw- brown tom, amber eyes.

Wingpaw- tan tabby she-cat, blue eyes.

Deeppaw- black tom, gray eyes.

Fallenpaw- mottled brown she-cat, unusual green eyes.

Swamppaw- dark tabby tom, amber eyes.

**Queens:**

Fogbreath- misty blue pelt, blue eyes.  
_Kits- Duskkit_

Icefall- white she-cat, ice eyes.  
_Kits- Fawnkit, Deerkit, Featherkit_

**Elders:**

Cheetahpelt- tan tabby she-cat with dark splotches, green eyes.

Hardtail- black and white tom, green eyes.

**HillClan:**

Leader- Smashstar- white she-cat, green eyes.

Deputy- Talonfang- dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes.

Medicine cat- Robinfrost- small gray tortoiseshell she-cat.

**Warriors:**

Swiftwing- black and white tom, blue eyes.  
_Apprentice- Dewpaw_

Poppytail- tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Tanglepaw_

Jayfur- gray tom, gray eyes.  
_Apprentice- Shrewpaw_

Featherfur- silver tabby she-cat, green eyes.  
_Apprentice- Brindlepaw_

Pointyclaw- tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Spiritpaw_

Icefang- light gray she-cat, ice eyes.

Tanheart- black and tan calico she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Apprentice- Twinepaw_

Frostsmoke- white she-cat, blue eyes.

Waterecho- misty blue she-cat, blue eyes.

Grasscloud- mottled brown tom, green eyes.

Slushtail- brown tom with white underbelly, green eyes.

Fierceclaw- red and brown tabby tom, red eyes.  
_Apprentice- Mushpaw_

Bouldertail- huge gray and white she-cat, ice eyes.  
_Apprentice- Blazepaw_

Wheattail- light brown tabby she-cat, dark brown eyes.  
_Apprentice- Rustypaw_

Maizeheart- tan tabby she-cat, blue eyes.  
_Apprentice- Speedpaw_

Tigerfang- dark tabby tom, amber eyes, originally of StormClan.

Russelleaf- orange tabby she-cat, green eyes.

Steamtail- misty blue tom, ice eyes.

Onesong- brown tabby tom, amber eyes.

**Apprentices:**

Speedpaw- mottled brown tom, amber eyes.

Spiritpaw- light gray tom with black and white stripes, ice eyes.

Mushpaw- mottled brown she-cat with white underbelly, amber eyes.

Blazepaw- orange red, and gray tabby tom, one blue eye, one amber.

Shrewpaw- brown tom, amber eyes.

Twinepaw- cream and white she-cat, amber eyes.

Tanglepaw- calico she-cat with black paws and tail tip, amber eyes.

Brindlepaw- light brown tabby she-cat, green eyes.

Dewpaw- misty gray she-cat, green eyes.

Rustypaw- dark orange tabby tom, unusual green eyes.

**Queens:**

Coralfoot- gray and white she-cat, green eyes.  
_Kits- Tansykit, Whitekit, Wildkit_

Amberface- dark tabby she-cat, amber eyes.  
_Kits- Longkit, Firekit_

**Elders:**

Skyfoot- stone blue tom, ice eyes.

Vineheart- dark brown tabby she-cat, green eyes.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Fallenpaw stomped her foot down and dug her claws into the ground. Today was going to be special, she just _knew_ it. She didn't know what exactly she was waiting for, but she knew that it was coming and she had better well be prepared for it. Not far from her, her mentor stood with his tail up, listening.

"What do you hear?" Rockheart coaxed her gently.

Her ears twitched as she listened carefully, hoping to hear something super special so she could impress her mentor and beat her brother, Swamppaw, at the hunting contest.

"Well," she answered, taking her time. "I hear…a rumbling?"

That couldn't be right. There was nothing close to WaterClan territory that created a sound like that. The closest things she could think of were the Redlines and the river. The Redlines were in FireClan territory, which made them too far to make such a noise. Which left the river. She pricked her ears in that direction to listen, and sure enough, she could hear a distinct rumbling sound, but not coming directly from the river. Her ears swiveled back on her head as Rockheart took a step forward and stepped on a wet leaf in the mud.

"What is that?" he asked, and Fallenpaw felt a sense of relief that she wasn't going crazy, nor was she the only one to not understand what they were hearing.

The rumbling grew louder.

Suddenly, Rockheart's ears swiveled back, his eyes widening in panic. "Fallenpaw, _run!_"

Confused, she turned to look in the direction of the rumbling. Her eyes grew to saucers as she saw through the trees a giant wave of water rushing toward them with the speed of the fastest SoulClan warriors.

Fallenpaw whirled in the mud and tried to run as fast as she could. She was not far from camp. Maybe she had time to warn them.

There was no time. The water crashed down on them with a force powerful enough to kill. Fallenpaw's shriek was cut off as she was engulfed in darkness, the water filling her lungs and eyes, choking her.

Her head snapped up with a gasp of burning air. _Where am I?_ she thought in panic. _What's going on? Oh…the apprentices' den._ Her breathing slowed. She calmed a little. The hunting contest, the wave, the water, it had all been a dream. But not the panic. _That _had been real. Her lungs burned with each gulp as her racing heart tried to reach its normal pace.

In his nest, Swamppaw lifted his head tiredly. "Nightmare again?" he asked sleepily. Fallenpaw couldn't catch her breath enough to answer. That seemed to be enough for him. "Same one?" Wordlessly, she nodded. Swamppaw sat up carefully and sniffed her. "Perhaps you should see Cherryfoot again," he suggested.

Fallenpaw shook her head and found words. "Maybe. Not now. I should see if Rockheart wants me for dawn patrol." Dawn was clawing across the sky outside. It was time to get up anyway.

"No need," Beechpaw yawned from across the den. "I'm on dawn patrol with Stripedawn and Waterfur. You might as well join us if you want to stretch your legs."

Fallenpaw jumped up and immediately regretted it. Her legs were sore, as if she had been swimming for a long time in strong current. Swamppaw eyed her suspiciously as she stretched. "Maybe you should stay and rest," he suggested fairly. "We've got a big night tonight. You'll need your strength."

Excitement coursed through Fallenpaw, pushing the nightmare from her mind. Tonight was her first Gathering! She'd get the chance to meet cats from other Clans, a chance she had not had before today. Only once a moon did the Clans meet in peace at the Circle Quad, and interact not as four separate Clans, but as one unit of cats with similar goals. Rockheart had told her a little bit about it on her first training session, but words could only describe the experience so much. There were other important things that Fallenpaw felt she'd missed out on during Rockheart's talk: the emotions she'd feel when seeing all the Clans together under SoulClan, the brush of fur on fur as many cats gathered in one small place, the glint in each leader's eye as they stood on the Flat Rock and spoke under the stars. Those kind of things were things that Rockheart's words could not describe to her, that even she could not fully imagine until she was there and experienced it. Maybe even after experiencing it, she would not fully understand it. Perhaps when she was a seasoned warrior, like Rockheart, she'd understand better.

There was no better place to start than the beginning, Fallenpaw felt. And tonight, she'd get her beginning at the Circle Quad, she just _knew_ it!

"No, I'm fine," she said spritely. "More than fine. I'm great!" She raced out of the den and saw them waiting. Stripedawn, the huge dark tabby, like a stone's shadow as he sat with his eyes closed. Beside him, her mother sat washing. Fallenpaw choked back the purr that raised like a kitten at the sight of her mother. No longer was she a kit. It was time she started acting like a true warrior and running to her mother.

Still, patrolling with her mother would be nice.

"Roottail, you're coming?" Beechpaw's voice sounded disappointed from behind Fallenpaw. "I thought you said I could go out on my own."

"Normally yes," Roottail answered, eying the apprentices as they approached. "But tonight is the Gathering, and all cats will need their energy. I don't want you to overextend yourself." A thrill of happiness wound through her veins. That was something Fallenpaw loved the most about WaterClan- every cat looked out for each other in the way that a mother might her kits. It wasn't expected or demanded, just given freely and accepted when offered.

It was that kindness that set WaterClan apart from the other Clans. Fallenpaw just supposed that that behavior was bred, not raised, which was why WaterClan was the best of the Clans. Of course, the other Clans had their merits, she'd admit that in a heartbeat. StormClan had their honesty and nobility, FireClan their endurance and workmanship, HillClan their stubbornness and unbending courage. WaterClan had their ever-growing hearts and selfless thoughts. The other qualities were good qualities to possess, she supposed, but she was glad her strengths were what they were. Nobody was perfect. At least she had a good start.

"You're coming with us?" Roottail asked, getting to the point. Fallenpaw nodded and was content to leave it at just that, but Beechpaw filled in the blanks anyway.

"Yeah, she was having nightmares, so I invited her along."

Waterfur's ear's perked, something that made Fallenpaw's tail lash and her left ear twitch. "You're having nightmares?" She sounded genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, but I'm fine. A long stretch of the legs will do me some good."

After a long moment, Waterfur nodded.

"Let's go," Roottail gave the command, and the five cats headed out of camp. As soon as they hit the forest, the nightmare that Fallenpaw had had came rushing back to her. To she paused on her way out of the camp entrance and looked down the slope to the Stone Path. That was where the water came from. Well, at least on their territory. Was it a warning from SoulClan? Was something big coming?

If it was, it was sure to start tonight, at her first Gathering.

The patrol headed up the slope and away from the sight of Fallenpaw's nightmares. From here, they could only be heading one direction, and that was the FireClan border. Usually, the dawn patrol worked it's way across both the FireClan, and the HillClan border, so it was sure to be a long hike. But on the day of the Gathering, multiple patrols would head out and patrol both borders simultaneously, so that no patrol got too exhausted in preparation for the night. That must mean that today, Fallenpaw would see the FireClan border only.

From the moment they left the underbrush of the forest behind, a cold wind nipped at Fallenpaw's fur and fully woke her. For the first time since waking up that morning, Fallenpaw felt truly awake.

They made their way up to the peak of the slope and the border they shared with FireClan. From the top of the hill, they saw everything. The way the hills sloped upward and became rocky where HillClan resided; the long hill that made its way to another Thunderpath, the territory that made up FireClan's land; the thick dense forest that StormClan lived in, and a little beyond. Curiosity never failed to raise in Fallenpaw when she saw the small amounts of land beyond the territories. What was out there? What didn't the Clans know?

"Well," said an unfamiliar voice. Fallenpaw's attention perked as she swiveled her head to face the foreign cats. "What have we here?"

It was a small FireClan patrol, lead by a small orange tabby. Behind him stood a large dark tabby, a mottled brown tom, and a long-haired silver she-cat with the greenest eyes Fallenpaw had ever seen. She smiled a friendly smile at the other she-cat, and was met with a nod.

"Littlewhisker," Roottail greeted politely. The orange tabby smiled.

"Hello Roottail." He lifted his head and looked at the sky. "Good night for a Gathering."

"It sure is," Roottail replied. Fallenpaw looked up to the sky where not a single cloud dotted the sky. She took a deep breath, but couldn't smell anything unusual.

"Tonight's gonna be extra special for you, isn't it Streampaw?" the dark tabby tom asked the silver she-cat. Fallenpaw felt jolted by that, because she would not have pegged the girl as an apprentice.

"What's so special about it?" Roottail asked politely.

"It's her first," the big tom replied proudly. "Streampaw's ready for it."

"What a coincidence," Roottail said. "It's Fallenpaw's first Gathering tonight too."

Fallenpaw flushed with embarrassment and smiled sheepishly at the other apprentice. Streampaw did not respond likewise.

"Look at those eyes," the tom commented. Fallenpaw jolted when she realized that he was staring at her. She blinked and looked away, trying not to be noticeable. This was not the first comment she'd gotten about her eyes. Many cats growing up had commented about how her eyes were so unusual. They were a shade of green that wasn't common.

Without meaning to, her eyes wandered up to Streampaw, who was also looking awkwardly away. For just that moment, Fallenpaw knew that she must get that comment a lot too. They both did have weird colored eyes, didn't they? Fallenpaw had never seen her own eyes, but if they looked anything like Streampaw's then she wasn't surprised by the odd comments.

The warriors didn't chat long. Littlewhisker politely but commandingly ordered his patrol onward and, after a brief goodbye, they made their way along the border to their own forest. Fallenpaw's patrol was heading the opposite direction. She watched them go for just a moment, then followed her own patrol along the border.

The rest of the patrol was uneventful. FireClan's border was freshly marked, and so it stunk high to heaven. But there were no cats.

Before too long, the five cats had made it right to the Circle Quad. Fallenpaw's eyes wandered the sacred place, from the Wood Den, a high structure put in by Citylegs long before the Clans were even thought of, to the Choking Weeds on StormClan's land, to the Flat Rock. She stood in front of the Flat Rock and marveled. Tonight would be the night that the leaders would once again stand on this very rock and address all the Clans. She tried to picture them there, but could only see noble Mistystar with her chest out and her head up. Not that Mistystar was stuck-up. But she could picture it.

Excitement flowed to her veins and made her crouch down. Pressing her feet into the air, she pushed off and jumped up before her paws made contact with the soil again. This was it! Tonight was the night, and she was ready for anything that SoulClan threw at her!


	3. Chapter 2

I would just like to say before you all continue on farther that this is book FOUR of the Sunfire series. Although the stories I guess could make sense individually, the stories also go together to provide solid background (well, solid in the ways that my 11, [that's right, I was ELEVEN when I wrote the first two and a half books], brain figured.) Anyway, the first book is Sunfire, the second book is Forever Fire, Forever Storm, and the third book is Moonlight. So if you want to read what a snazzy 11 year old wrote like 8 years ago, please feel free to read those ones before going too much farther in this one. Also, I started making changes to the names (such as the big upright creatures from Citylegs cause that was stupid) and so on starting NOW. So things might be a little...more complicated less sensical in the before books. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Streampaw sat quietly and patiently, waiting at the camp entrance for Sunstar to come out of his den and give the signal to go. Tonight was her first Gathering, and she was pretty excited. She took a deep breath to keep her fur from quivering and lapped up some water in the deep puddle by the camp entrance. If she was going to spend time at a warriors' conference, she had to act like a warrior. So instead of jumping around like a kit, or at least like her adopted siblings, she had to sit perfectly still and wait with the calm demeanor that the warriors seemed to have.

Ashecho, her adopted mother, padded up to her. "Aren't you excited?" she asked. "The others seem to be." She indicated with her tail where Streampaw's surrogate littermates were bouncing around. Shadowpaw and Dovepaw were running in circles around each other and Graypaw was ready to pounce, his tail lashing.

"Of course I'm excited," Streampaw answered, turning and looking at her mother. "But I want to act like a warrior, not a kit."

Ashecho looked mildly skeptical. "They're acting like apprentices about to go to their first Gathering, and you only get to act that way once in your lifetime. Are you sure you want to pass it up?"

She shrugged. "I guess I just don't want to act that way. I don't have to. So why should I?"

"You'll miss all the fun." Ashecho's tail stroked her head. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Streampaw frowned. As a matter of fact, she hadn't, but she wasn't about to let Ashecho know that. Her adopted mother seemed to figure it out anyway. "Maybe you should see Foxtail about that. She can give you something to help you sleep."

But Streampaw didn't want the medicine. "It was just a nightmare. I can handle it."

"Does it have to do with your mother?" Ashecho asked, making Streampaw's frown deepen.

"No, believe it or not, I don't even remember her. So don't worry about it, I'll be fine."

Ashecho still looked concerned. "I'm just worried about you. If you're mom were still here today, she'd be worried too."

Streampaw wanted to groan. "Well, she's not here. Honestly mom, I'm fine."

Her adopted mother looked at her quietly for just a second, nodded, then padded away. Streampaw watched her go, thinking back to her real mother.

She had never met her real mother. All she knew about her was that she had been a kittypet named Raspberry, and that she had been a black tabby. Her father, a black and silver striped rogue named Bandit, had seen her sitting on her fence one day and fallen in love. After many moons trying to get her to talk to him, he finally managed to strike up a conversation and get her to fall for him too.

After several moons together, Raspberry and Bandit decided to have kits and raise them together. They could be part kittypet, part rogue. That way they could look after themselves if need be, but still be house-trained enough to live with the big upright creatures Raspberry lived with. But when the time came to give birth, something had gone horribly wrong, and Raspberry had died.

Knowing his kit would not survive without a mother, Bandit set out to find Streampaw a suitable mother. He had heard about the Clan cats in the forest not far from where Raspberry's housenest was. He had even heard of kittypets joining these so called Clans and getting far in life. And so, the day he lost the love of his life and with a newborn kitten in his jaw, he had carried her across the dangerous marshy forest, crossed a Thunderpath swarming with monsters, and into a field that smelled of raunchy territorial cats before a FireClan patrol found him.

Sunstar had agreed to let Streampaw stay under the condition that she be given a Clan name and raised as a Clan cat. Repayment for her life was her life, and so she'd have to work and be part of the Clan until the day she retired. Bandit agreed to give her to Clan, but asked that he get to visit her. Sunstar had agreed and granted him immunity on FireClan land as long as he was coming to see Streampaw.

Streampaw was not upset that her father had given her to the Clan rather than take her to the upright creatures to be raised. She rather preferred being a FireClan cat, and had an opportunity that a lot of cats like her didn't get. Not many of cats born to rogues and kittypets knew what it was like to be a Clan cat from birth. She might not have been born a Clan cat, but from her first night alive up to now, she had lived with FireClan.

But sacrifices were made. She knew that in her first several days of life, Bandit lived with the Clan and practically doted on Ashecho, her foster mother who had only given birth to her three kits the day before he had shown up with Streampaw. But after that he had left the Clan, and now she only saw him once every quarter moon. Also, whenever she thought of her mother, she saw Ashecho. This was not a problem for her, but whenever Bandit wanted to talk to her about her mother, she wasn't sure how to react. Despite what everyone in the Clan wanted to believe, she did not feel too beat up about her mother. Maybe things would have been different for her if she had been raised by her real mother and not Ashecho, perhaps she would have been happy being a rogue/kittypet instead of being in the Clan. But she loved Ashecho and was happy with her life the way it was. She couldn't say how her life would have turned out if her mom had lived, but she knew that turning out the way it had as things were was for the best.

Her life in the Clan was perfect. She was the apprentice of a warrior who understood what it was like to lose a parent at a very young age (Briarfang's father had died just before he was born), her fighting and hunting skills were going to good use, and tonight would be her first Gathering. She and the other apprentices got along, since many of them thought of her as a Clan cat and not a rogue cat, and she was beginning to prove herself to her Clanmates. An introvert by nature, Streampaw had a hard time really caring about the cats that still didn't trust her or her father, and found herself content with her life in FireClan, despite the tragedy that had put her there.

Except for the nightmares. She had started having them after she had become an apprentice, and started having them almost every night once MoonClan left the forest. It was always the same thing: the forest being torn apart by big machines, the big upright creatures literally ripping the camp up by it's roots as the cats inside fled. Only, with the Redlines on one side, and the upright creatures on the other, there was nowhere to go. And always, just before Streampaw was sure to be killed, she woke up.

She had tried talking to Ashecho about these nightmares, but her foster mother had assumed that her dreams were a signal that she missed the life she could have had with her mother. The camp being torn apart was supposed to represent the way her life had been torn up when her mother died. But that didn't feel right to Streampaw. She loved her life in FireClan and didn't want it to be torn apart that way, even if she had been conflicted. No, whatever was happening to her had nothing to do with the death of her mother. Now she just had to figure out what it did mean.

At that moment, Sunstar appeared from his den and gave the signal. FireClan warriors began to gather at the entrance to camp and trickled out, one by one, into the field. Streampaw queued up beside the other apprentices and waited her turn. Beside her, Graypaw nudged her gently with his nose.

"What do you think, Streampaw? A real Gathering!"

She glanced at him and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Graypaw. I think it is a real Gathering." There was no offending Graypaw on a night like tonight. She saw him laughing out of the corner of her eyes.

If she was closest to anyone in the Clan, it was Graypaw. There was never any question in her mind that he was her brother. Something in her knew that they were meant to be related, and that even if her mother _had_ lived, she still would have known Graypaw somehow.

Usually when she went out, it took her ages to get to the Circle Quad. That's because usually, she was either on a border patrol and had to slowly work her way up to the circle, or she was hunting and somehow ended up there. Tonight, the warriors were racing across the meadow on a direct path to the Circle Quad, and she was surprised at how quickly they got there.

Sunstar padded to where Mistystar was sitting. Puddletail padded forward to meet up with Gerbilfoot. The warriors and apprentices were left to themselves to intermingle. Streampaw felt Graypaw rub up against her; she had a feeling he was not as comfortable with this as she was. Her eyes roamed the circle and gauged the amount of cats there. Only two Clans were present, and yet it felt very crowded. Twice the cats as she was used to were prowling around talking, and her nose told her that HillClan was not far off. Soon, they would be surrounded.

A familiar set of green eyes flashed, and Streampaw had a sudden burst from her mouth she hadn't really expected. "Fallenpaw!" she greeted.

The WaterClan apprentice pushed her way through to sit with them. Her sweet scent bathed Streampaw's tongue as she looked at their new companion. Her mottled brown fur was laying flat and her eyes were wide. Obviously, she was having fun.

"Who's this?" Fallenpaw asked politely, indicating Graypaw. The small tom was sitting stiff next to Streampaw.

"This is my brother, Graypaw," she answered, equally quaint.

Fallenpaw nodded to Graypaw, who was looking between them now. "Oh, to meet you. I have a brother too, Swamppaw. He's around here somewhere." She looked around, as though expecting to see him right there.

"I have two other siblings," she said sheepishly. "Dovepaw and Shadowpaw. They're…." she paused, not sure where exactly her other siblings were.

"Around?" Fallenpaw finished with a smile. Streampaw nodded.

Out of nowhere, Graypaw spoke, his face a look of total confusion. "Your eyes."

"I know," Fallenpaw said passively. "I get it all the time."

But Graypaw was shaking his head. "No, you're eyes are exactly the same shade."

Streampaw frowned and looked once again into Fallenpaw's strange eyes. Briarfang had said the same thing to her after patrol this morning. She had been told all her life that she had an unusual shade of green, never before seen in FireClan. Even Bandit had commented once how unusual her eyes were. Inwardly, she had always wondered if there were any other cats with her eye color. And now, she finally found one, but in the wrong Clan!

Right then, HillClan arrived.

Graypaw rose to his feet. "I'm going to find Shadowpaw and Dovepaw," he said suddenly. "It was nice meeting you Fallenpaw." He padded away without further explanation. Streampaw watched him go without worrying. Graypaw was uncomfortable around big crowds, and the crowd was certainly getting bigger.

Perhaps being with Shadowpaw and Dovepaw, the cats with whom he spent the most time, would bring comfort to him. She was not offended, as she had Fallenpaw to talk to and understood exactly where he was coming from. Besides, she could talk to him any old day.

StormClan arrived, pouring out of the Choking Weeds and intermingling with the Clans. From their place beside the Wood Den, Fallenpaw and Streampaw were right in the direction of the streaming cats as they joined the rest at the Gathering. The StormClan cats parted and joined the other cats, making the throng around the Flat Rock nearly four times that of FireClan. A little crowded, Streampaw edged closer to the Den wall.

A large StormClan apprentice approached them. Immediately they could tell he was bold. A lone apprentice wandering around at a Gathering and approaching total strangers, he had to have a great deal of courage to approach them like that. Or experience.

He was handsome. Streampaw let her eyes wander down his flanks to his streaming tail. He had light brown fur, solid, and thin. His muscles rippled as he padded toward them, his tail trailing behind him. He was not a long-fur, which further brought to attention his size. He was a big boy. Probably his most telling feature was his face. Short whiskers, large ears, and a handsome smile. But his eyes…

"Hi," he said, his green eyes resting on both of them and a smile flashing. "My name's Thrushpaw."

Fallenpaw's eyes shone in the darkness, exactly his shade, but with an extra spark in them that told Streampaw that she too had noticed how attractive he was. "Hi," she replied eagerly. "I'm Fallenpaw, of WaterClan. This is Streampaw, of FireClan."

She smiled at him but did not say anything. Thrushpaw gave her a glance then looked back at Fallenpaw with interest. Streampaw sighed inwardly. Not that she was interested in some StormClan apprentice, but it would be nice to be noticed. But like everyone else, he was interested in the prettier one. And Fallenpaw _was_ pretty. Her mottled brown fur combined with her sleek figure, and green eyes really was a sight for sore eyes. It just didn't feel right.

"Your eyes are the same color," Fallenpaw pointed out suddenly, indicating Streampaw. Her ears perked when the WaterClan apprentice said that.

"I was just thinking the same about you two," Thrushpaw said, looking confused. "I was surprised you weren't sisters."

"No," Streampaw said. "We're not related."

Thrushpaw shrugged. "Coincidence, I guess."

"Here," said an unfamiliar voice. A burly brown tabby shouldered his way through the crowd, an orange tom following him. The burly tom stopped in front of the group. "Apprentices?" he asked them quickly. They all nodded in response. "First Gathering?" Once again, they all nodded. Streampaw flashed Thrushpaw a glance, but he was nodding. This was his first Gathering too. "Here you are, Rustypaw," the tom said, ushering the orange apprentice forward. Streampaw narrowed her eyes as she looked over his solid orange pelt and incredibly green eyes. "Huh," the big tom said, examining the small group. "They have your eyes." He stared at them a moment longer. "Have fun." And he vanished back the way he came.

"Thanks Talonfang," Rustypaw called after him, then looked back at the other apprentices. For a long moment, nobody spoke. Finally, Rustypaw introduced himself. "I'm Rustypaw, from HillClan. This is my first Gathering too."

"Thrushpaw, StormClan."

"Fallenpaw, WaterClan."

Streampaw barely opened her mouth to speak. "Streampaw, FireClan."

Rustypaw shrugged. "Nice to meet you." Streampaw suddenly liked him. She wasn't sure what brought that on, maybe his quietness, but she found that warmth inside her that made her smile at him. He smiled back, but didn't speak.

"Hey," said an unfamiliar voice. Streampaw groaned inwardly. She was tired of meeting strangers. But this new cat wasn't here to talk to them all. She approached Thrushpaw, and despite their differences, Streampaw could see the family resemblance. The new girl had the same streaming tail and rippling muscles her brother had, but on a smaller scale. Only instead of her brother's unnatural green eyes, she had amber eyes.

"Hey," Thrushpaw said. "Look, I made friends." The newcomer glanced around and nodded.

"Nice. How are you feeling?" Streampaw pricked her ears in irritation. This she-cat clearly wasn't interested in making friends.

"I'm fine," Thrushpaw answered politely, but also sounding mildly irritated. "I rested before I came."

"Good," the she-cat was bobbing her head agreeably. "I'm gonna go sit with Gorgepaw and Applepaw if you want to join us. We're closer to the Flat Rock."

Thrushpaw looked taken aback. "No, I'm fine here. Thanks though."

The small she-cat padded away without another word, vanishing into the throng. Thrushpaw watched her go with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What was that all about?" Fallenpaw probed as soon as the other cat was out of earshot.

Thrushpaw shrugged, as if it was unimportant. "That was my sister, Bloompaw. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and she just wants to make sure I'm okay."

Rustypaw spoke up, "You too? I haven't slept well since MoonClan left the forest. I thought it was residual stress from the ordeal we went through…"

Streampaw shook her head. HillClan certainly had gone through an ordeal when MoonClan was in the forest. Led by Jetstar, the rogue Clan had kidnapped all the kits in HillClan and held them hostage, declaring that they were going to eliminate all the Clans in the forest and take their kits to be raised as MoonClan. He had snuck into the FireClan camp in the middle of the night and tried to kill everyone. Streampaw and her fellow Clanmates were lucky that the other Clans decided to fight with them.

All things considered, it was very likely that she and Rustypaw would be having trouble sleeping due to what they went through with MoonClan. But she had not seen him at the battle. It was entirely possible she had simply not seen him there, but in her heart she knew she hadn't seen him because he hadn't been there. Then Fallenpaw spoke up, and her words chilled Streampaw to the bone.

"I've been having nightmares. Every night, when I go to sleep, I dream of the destruction of my Clan."

Everyone froze, looking at one another.

"So do I," Rustypaw said quietly, looking at Fallenpaw.

"Me too," Thrushpaw coughed.

Streampaw nodded, eyeing her companions wearily. This could not be a trick. There was no way they could have known about her dreams. And if they were all having the same one…

In that moment, each of them knew that this was no coincidence. Each of them had the exact same shade of green eyes, a shade not shared by any of their Clanmates. Ever since MoonClan, each of them had had terrible nightmares about their Clans' destructions. For a long time, Streampaw had felt alone, unfitting in her own life. Now, here they were, standing before her, the others with whom she had a strange connection. They were brought together for a reason on each of their first Gatherings.

Right then the Clans called to order and the Gathering truly began. Streampaw sat next to her companions and looked up at the leaders, but she wasn't really watching.

What was their purpose? Why had SoulClan marked them with their green eyes and given them the horrible dreams that finally brought them together?


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Thrushpaw padded back into camp wearily. It had been three days since the Gathering, and he was starting to get fidgety. After meeting the others in the other Clans, he had slept more soundly. Not that nightmares went away entirely, but instead of being directly involved, he felt like he was watching from afar, the other three brushing fur with him. Then always, strange things would flash before his eyes. He would see a sort of city, but miniature, like where his Clanmates had been captured in the legendary battle against the large upright creatures. He would see dogs, but not the little ones that sometimes yapped on the outer border of StormClan territory. These wolves were absolutely huge, and incredibly vicious. He would see water, everywhere, and it would wake him up thirsty and in desperate shape to use the dirtplace all in one.

On every patrol he would look over the territories, hoping to see one of the others. Something about being selected by SoulClan for a specific purpose excited him, and he knew that the only cats who would understand would be the others. Once, he had seen Rustypaw on a patrol. Neither had spoken to the other so that no one suspected them of suspicious behavior. A simple nod sufficed. He had not seen sight or sound of the others, which was a shame because he really wanted to see them. Especially that WaterClan girl. Fallenpaw was more beautiful than any cat he'd ever met. And she was friendly. Thrushpaw liked that about her.

Excitement coursed through him as he looked around his Clan. He was special, and they didn't even know it! What had SoulClan singled him out for, he wondered? Why had they sent him those dreams? Around him, his unwary Clanmates were going about their normal evening business. His mentor, Brownstripe, was sitting with Hollowtail, Thornfang, and Softfur. Softfur had once been in FireClan. Thrushpaw fleetingly wondered what it was like in FireClan? What kind of experiences did Streampaw undergo on a regular basis?

Bubblekit and Flashkit streaked past him, heading for the Greatledge. Little Mintkit was chasing them, her minty green eyes full of laughter. She was almost as big as her adopted littermates, and didn't remember anything of her birth. Supposedly, Silverstar had found her in the Light Camp during the great leader's nine lives ceremony with SoulClan, but many of the Clan suspected that something very strange had brought Mintkit about. Though, no one could prove anything more than that Mintkit didn't have an apparent mother. The little white kit herself remembered nothing of her past. To her, it was as if Rainpelt was her mother and Rainpelt's three kits were her siblings.

Thrushpaw frowned at the nursery. Rainpelt's last kit was Tagkit, and Thrushpaw hated Tagkit. What made that tiny speck so special? Ever since before MoonClan left, even before Thrushpaw was made an apprentice, Tagkit had been treated like he was hand chosen by SoulClan to fulfill a special purpose. What that purpose was, nobody knew. Even _Tagkit_ acted like he was special, constantly sitting out and pointing out things that other cats could easily have figured out for themselves. He just wanted the attention, and boy was he getting it.

Out of nowhere, a paw jerked his hind legs out from under him. Thrushpaw went down with an "Oomph!" Rolling over, he found himself face to face with his sister.

"Bloompaw!" he groaned. But she was laughing.

"Gotcha!"

"Bloompaw!" he snapped, sitting up. She kept laughing as he glared at her. "What are you doing?"

She cocked her head, her cheek bunching up against her shoulder and her eyes forming an upside-down crescent as she smiled. "Sneaking up on you."

Sitting the way she was, with her face just so radiantly happy, which she never was, Thrushpaw couldn't help but let his anger go. Bloompaw was a truly unique cat. No matter what anyone did or said to try and cheer her up, Bloompaw was rarely very happy. Yellowflower said that this was a common condition in the kittypets of the city, and that sometimes elders got that way, but never really was it borne to younger cats like Bloompaw. Stormclaw said hat she must have been cursed. It made Wispface, their mother, very upset.

On moments like these, when Bloompaw was having a good time, it was hard to stay angry with her.

"Yeah, you got me all right," he muttered, pretending to be grumpy. "My tail hurts!"

"Aww," she said. "Are you going to go crying to Yellowflower?" Despite her light attitude, Thrushpaw could tell that she was genuinely upset. He decided to tone it down.

"No, I don't think I've permanent damage. But you did get me good." Once again, her face lit up in a smile.

"Good," she said, nodding. "I've been practicing, but I'm glad you're not hurt."

"When did Burntecho teach you that trick?"

Now she looked really proud. "He didn't. I did that on my own."

Thrushpaw doubted that it was difficult to sneak up on someone, but he didn't want to ruin his sister's good spirits. It was rare that she was ever in such a good mood. But the warm season was starting soon, and he figured that had to have something to do with it.

The moon was coming out. It would soon be time for sleeping.

Stormclaw padded out of Silverstar's den and addressed the Clan. "Tomorrow's dawn patrol will be Hollowtail, Walnutfur, and Stonetail. You can decide whether or not to take your apprentices. I'd like some the hunting to be done by Burntecho and Brownstripe. Take your apprentices out with you. I'd like sunhigh patrol…."

But Thrushpaw had stopped listening. He knew what he was going to be doing tomorrow, so he let his mind wander away from Stormclaw's instructions. He was going to be hunting tomorrow. He wondered if he'd get to see any of the others while he was out. He seriously doubted it. Hunting didn't mean crossing borders.

As soon as Stormclaw was done with his assignments, the Clan broke apart to their separate dens. This was the time for sleeping, the time when the Clan was at its calmest and most serene. The sentry, a lone centennial who stood guard over the Clan throughout the night, broke apart to take his turn. The guard was always split between two cats, who switched out at Moonhigh. Tonight's guard was Goldenshadow. He perched himself among the roots at the entrance of the camp and stood watching with pricked ears.

Thrushpaw followed his sister into the apprentices' den and took his nest. Here, curling up into a tight knot, he slipped into sleep quicker and deeper than ever before he had done in his short life. It felt like moments before Thrushpaw was racing through the forest, his paws drumming against the ground in even rhythm as he made his way toward somewhere. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew that if he just went a little farther, he'd make it there.

Suddenly the brush whipped past him, out of sight. The grass turned soft underpaw and a soft light, coming from the moon above, touched his face. He was in the clearing just short of the forest and HillClan land. It was a long moment, where he breathed in the unusually fresh air and soaked in the dull moonlight, before he realized that there was another cat there already.

This cat was very big, with broad shoulders a sort of strength about him. His russet fur ruffled in the wind and whipped around his wise, amber eyes. He looked very familiar. In fact, if not for the amber eyes, Thrushpaw would have bet anything that this was some older version of Rustypaw.

"Thrushpaw," the cat said in a deep voice, neither harsh nor warm. There was a hint of welcome in it, but otherwise, the orange tom kept stiff as he looked over the young apprentice. "You have come, at last."

Words found Thrushpaw at last. "You're a StarClan cat. We were right. We are special."

"It is not your eyes that make you special, young apprentice. It is your spirit."

This confused Thrushpaw. "What do you mean? Who are you?"

The orange cat lifted his chin, looking at Thrushpaw as though sizing him up. Finally, he spoke with a certainty that Thrushpaw could not question. "I am Rustystar. I was once the leader of StormClan."

"Rustystar?" he asked, awed. "You mean, like Rustypaw?"

"I see you are quick to make judgments," Rustystar spoke wryly. His voice was neither critical nor praising. "Much like myself. In this instance, you would be correct. Rustypaw is a reincarnation of my spirit."

"I'm confused," Thrushpaw said. "If Rustypaw is you, how are you here? And what does this have to do with me?"

"Rustypaw is a cat unto himself, but he was sent as a reincarnation of myself, placed strategically in a Clan that needed him. This has everything to do with you. If you are so quick to figure things out between myself and the young HillClan cat, why don't you take a guess at what you have to do with it." There was no mistaking it this time, Rustystar's voice had an edge of annoyance in it.

Thrushpaw thought carefully about it. "If Rustypaw's you, does that mean I'm the reincarnation of somebody else?"

Rustystar nodded. "Strategically placed in a Clan that needed you. It is essential that you realize this, for even though your spirit belongs elsewhere, your faith must remain in StormClan."

Questions blossomed in Thrushpaw's head. "Which Clan was I in?"

Rustystar lashed his tail in frustration. "Figure that out yourself. I'm not here to answer stupid questions. I am here simply to pass on the message."

"What message?" Thrushpaw asked eagerly.

Rustystar looked into Thrushpaw's eyes, and he once again had the sense that the ancient leader was making judgments about him. "The ones with the right spirit returns, signified by the green, these four will journey to the end of the earth and back to save the Clans from ultimate destruction."

Despite the fact that it had clearly been rehearsed, it still sent chills up Thrushpaw's spine. 'The ones with the right spirits…signified by the green…' this could only mean the four apprentices. But the part about the journey to the end of the earth and back? It seemed pretty straight forward, but it still confused him. He and his companions would save the Clans from "ultimate destruction", but they had to leave to do it?

"What does that mean?" Thrushpaw asked at last.

For the first time since their meeting, Rustystar smiled. "You're smart. You'll figure it out."

The orange tom was already fading away. "No, wait!" Thrushpaw called. "I have so many questions."

"Thrushpaw!" someone prodded him very hard in the side. Rolling onto his broad shoulders, Thrushpaw awoke with a start. Above him, Bloompaw was silhouetted against the bright sun streaming in through the den roof. He could tell by the fresh air coming that it was pretty early. The sun must have only just come up.

"Bloompaw!" he breathed, sitting up. Thrushpaw was a sleep-talker if ever their was one. Not a night went by that he didn't mutter or toss around in his sleep, alerting his denmates to even the most embarrassing dreams. He dreaded what Bloompaw might have heard him saying this time. What if he had cued her into the prophecy?

The thought made his stomach weigh more than it had since he'd been sick as a kit. It all struck him very suddenly. This was a prophecy. That was exactly what Rustystar had been telling him. The other green eyes, himself even, they were part of a prophecy. In his head, he could see himself and the others, going on the long journey to…save the Clans? His head spun. What did that even mean? How were they going to save the Clans by leaving them?

"Thrushpaw, are you all right?" said his sister's voice from seemingly far away. With massive effort, he forced himself to concentrate on his sister's voice and pull himself the present.

"I'm fine. Just tired I guess." He looked apprehensively at Bloompaw, waiting for the blow. She seemed to consider this for a second, then answered,

"Probably. You were sleeping really deeply. You didn't even twitch once last night."

Relief swamped Thrushpaw. He had not given away his secret. Yet.

Together, Thrushpaw and Bloompaw padded out of the apprentices' den and over to where Brownstripe and Burntecho were waiting. Immediately, Thrushpaw could tell that something was off. The mentors were leaning close to each other and talking with worried expressions on their faces. As the apprentices approached, they looked up.

"Bad news," Brownstripe said as the apprentices came within earshot.

"There's been some lingering HillClan scent on the border," Burntecho explained in a rush. "Silverstar and Stormclaw have sent out extra patrols to keep the border in check, but…"

"But we can't go hunting until after sunhigh," Brownstripe finished. "Stormclaw wants all the apprentices in camp."

Bloompaw's ears drooped. Thrushpaw wasn't sure how to feel about this news. He knew he'd have to get out and find the others soon. Surely they all have had the same dreams. But at that moment, he wasn't sure the had the energy to do much more than sleep.

"So instead, Bloompaw and I will clean the elders' den," Burntecho said rapidly. "It will be quick and easy between the two of us."

Despite her cheerful intones, Thrushpaw detected his sister was thoroughly dejected. "Okay, Burntecho…" Their voices trailed off as they walked together to the small knot in the tree branches where the elders' made their den.

Thrushpaw looked up at his mentor through heavy eyes and saw her scrutinizing him. "What are we going to do Brownstripe?" he yawned.

There was a long moment where he felt her gaze. All she did was look at him, as if confronting him. Finally, she spoke slowly, "I think you ought to go back to sleep. You don't look well. I can take care of Yellowflower's den by myself."

Thrushpaw jerked up in surprise. "Huh? You don't want my help?"

Brownstripe rolled her eyes. "I mean, if you don't want to go back to sleep, you can surely help me. But I'm offering you a chance to rest so you can hunt better after sunhigh. Think carefully about that."

Thrushpaw dipped his head and headed back to the apprentices' den. He curled up in his warm nest and began to think.

What good could possibly come from travelling so far away from home? Rustystar had been reluctant to tell him anything more than what he absolutely needed to know. Which left him with some pretty basic information and no way to contact the others. Had they gotten the same message? His thoughts wandered to Rustypaw, the HillClan apprentice.

Did the russet tom know he was a reincarnation of an ancient StormClan leader? And if Rustystar had been the leader of StormClan, why was Rustypaw in HillClan? The old leader had indicated that they had been "strategically placed where they were needed". Didn't their original Clans need them? How did going to a different Clan help?

And in the forefront of his mind was the burning desire to know who he had been. Had there been a Thrushstar in Rustystar's time? Maybe the memories were buried there, in his mind. As he slipped back into sleep, he tried to concentrate on all his might on his oldest memories.

Some were buried pretty deep. He started out with easier ones and worked his way back. First there was his apprentice-naming ceremony, where he had been assigned Brownstripe as his mentor. Then there were kit times, when he and Bloomkit had snuck out of camp to see a Gathering. They had almost been caught by Nightflower that night. He remembered his breath against his paws and he thrummed back towards camp, burrowing through the secret entrance he and his sister had made when they were kits. Then there was meeting Mintkit. The young girl was now almost apprentice ready, but back then, she had been a foreigner to the Clan.

He could remember the first time he opened his eyes and saw his mother's pretty face. Her scent bathed his tongue as he surpassed his memories with sight, and began to rely on his other senses. The ground was very soft beneath his paws, and he could hear the queens talking about how big he was for a kit, though now looking back, he realized he had been very little. He remembered be warm and drowsy, and then there was this light…

He raced across the land on paws that carried him like the wind. Up ahead was the Circle Quad, and the others. He could see the big creatures, with snapping jaws inches away from his deputies tail.

"Thrushstar, they're too big!" one of his warriors panted. "We can't keep fighting like this."

"Go to Fallenstar," he ordered. "I don't care what you offer her, just get her out here."

"But sir," the young cat pleaded. "She's too far. We have to send for help _now_!"

Thrushstar hissed, his springy legs working in the sand. "Then send our fastest cat! Go now!"

The warrior turned to a young apprentice who was rolling in the dirt in front of one of the smaller dogs. "Thornpaw, quick! Go to Fallenstar and ask for HillClan's help."

"Yes sir!" the young apprentice snapped upright and then vanished on legs moving so quick it was like he was floating along….

Thrushpaw rolled over in his nest and sat upright abruptly. It took him a long minute to remember who he was and where he was. He was Thrushpaw, a StormClan apprentice. But in his mind, he could still feel the strength in his paws and the wind in his fur. For a moment, he let his mind wander to where Softfur was sitting with Mossface. The two were built very similar, with strong legs and sharp senses, similar to that the ancient leader had felt in himself, and suddenly Thrushpaw knew which Clan he had belonged to.

Brownstripe's face appeared at the den entrance and he startled. "Oh good, you're up," she said cheerfully. "I was about to come get you. We're ready to go when you are."

Thrushpaw stood up and stretched. "What happened?"

His mentor shrugged. "Some apprentice had tried to cross the border. Told Silverstar he just wanted to know what life was like in other Clans. She didn't think it was trouble. Stormclaw escorted him back to his camp where Smashstar dealt with him. She was very angry. I don't think we'll see him again for a while."

Thrushpaw's ears pricked at alert. There's only one HillClan cat that would be so daring to sneak into StormClan land like that. It must have been Rustypaw, trying to reach him about the prophecy. What had happened to him?

He followed Brownstripe into the clearing where they joined Bloompaw and Burntecho. His sister gave him a look that both warmed his heart and sent chills down his spine. Clearly, she had cared about his health, but was a little bitter that he had gotten to sleep in while she had had to clean the elders' den. Thrushpaw threw her an apologetic smile, but she just turned away.

The small band made their way into the forest. "Now, you two will be hunting on your own," Burntecho said gruffly. "This is a warriors' assessment. We will not be following you."

"You won't?" Bloompaw asked.

Brownstripe smiled. "We thought of a sort of contest. Who would catch the most prey? The apprentices, or the mentors?"

Thrushpaw shared an incredulous look with his sister. Did Brownstripe or Burntecho actually believe that Bloompaw and he could beat them?

"You will return here when you feel you have caught as much as you can carry," Burntecho ordered. "Do not stay out past sunset. You will head towards the Rock Path,"

"While we head toward the giant oak," Brownstripe finished. Burntecho nodded. "Now be off."

Thrushpaw hardly felt that was fair. The giant oak of course had more prey around it. The Rock Path had hardly any. That meant the mentors were sure to win.

He and Bloompaw walked in silence for a while. When they got to the end of the Light Camp, they split in two ways. Bloompaw headed farther down the Rock Path, toward the thunderpath and denser undergrowth. Thrushpaw headed straight for the FireClan border.

The thick scent of FireClan filled his nostrils, blocking out the scent of prey. He just happened to get lucky enough to see a rabbit eating through some weeds just ahead. Careful as he could, he placed his paws lightly on the ground and began to stalk toward the rabbit. From off to the side, a twig snapped.

The rabbit took off without a second thought, and Thrushpaw pelted after it. He did not notice where he was going until, very suddenly, he was barreled over.

"Where do you think you're going?" a familiar voice spoke directly in his ear.

"Streampaw!" Thrushpaw sat up and faced the long-haired FireClan apprentice, both relieved and annoyed. "You let my rabbit get away."

Streampaw looked over her shoulder to where the rabbit had disappeared down a rabbit warren. "Oh, would you look at that. Oh well, FireClan's rabbit now." There was a mischievous look in her odd green eyes.

Thrushpaw narrowed his own. "What do you really want?"

Her eyes widened in a look of near-convincing innocence. "Who me? I'm just an apprentice guarding my Clan's borders. You are, after all, on FireClan land."

Thrushpaw had not noticed he had crossed the border. Very carefully, he stepped back over the scent line onto his own territory. "There, happy?"

She shook her head, her long hair flapping and spoke in a rush. "Look, Thrushpaw. I've been waiting here all day for some sign of you. I was about to cross into your territory just to find you. Where have you been?"

For some reason, this frustrated Thrushpaw. "I've been stuck in camp. You guys act like it's a terrible thing that I haven't been out!"

"That's because it has been! Didn't you have the dream?"

Thrushpaw knew they'd get around there eventually. "Yes, I had the dream." He leaned forward. "Do you know what it means?"

But Streampaw shook her head. "No. I spoke to Fallenpaw earlier today. She and Rustypaw met up early this morning and decided to meet at the Circle Quad tonight. We need to go too."

Thrushpaw felt as if his insides suddenly froze. "You mean to discuss the dream?"

Streampaw tilted her head and looked at him very seriously. "We can discuss it on the way. Rustypaw and Fallenpaw both think we should leave tonight, and I agree. What do you think?"

This shocked him. They did not even know what they were supposed to be doing. Where would they go? It all seemed to be happening too fast. Only a few days ago, Thrushpaw did not even know that he was special.

But before he could voice any of his doubts to Streampaw, the bushes behind him parted and Bloompaw burst out. "Thrushpaw, what are you doing?" she demanded, sounding both worried and angry.

Streampaw seemed to catch herself before Thrushpaw could. "Thrushpaw here crossed FireClan land while chasing a rabbit. I was simply reminding him where the border is."

Bloompaw narrowed her amber eyes and looked only at Thrushpaw. He could not meet her eyes. "I heard you talking about going away," she said, seeming to choose her words carefully. "What did you mean?"

"I was telling this girl to go away," Thrushpaw made up as quickly as he could. He knew it was lame. If Bloompaw had really overheard them, then there was not lie strong enough to cover it up, especially if he disappeared tonight.

For the first time that conversation, Bloompaw seemed to have a glance to spare for Streampaw. Once those amber eyes found green, however, they widened and could not look away. "Hey," she said methodically, seeming to put two and two together. "That's the cat from the Gathering." Immediately, suspicion and tension seemed to fill the border. "What's going on here? Why are you two meeting up?"

Before either could answer, Bloompaw's eyes widened and she turned in disgust to her brother. "You've been seeing her secretly!" she exclaimed. "That's why you've been so off lately!"

"What?" Thrushpaw spluttered. "Bloompaw! That's ridiculous!"

"You were tired this morning! You've been meeting with her!"

Thrushpaw shook his head. "No way! I just wasn't feeling well. I'm still not, come to think of it…"

Bloompaw stuck her nose in the air. "Sure you don't. You just don't want me interrupting talking to your _girlfriend_!"

Streampaw finally spoke up. "Excuse me. You are insinuating that I would betray the Clan I owe my life for…for…_that_!" Thrushpaw was not sure he had ever felt such hot daggers as the ones Streampaw was throwing him now. It struck Thrushpaw that it was false. They were betraying their Clans by meeting each other, just not at this current moment. The look in her eyes plainly were trying to speak to him, despite their hate. "How dare you! I was just showing this StormClan scum off _my_ land! Now if you'll excuse me, I am needed back at my Clan!" And with that, she turned and vanished into the tall grass.

Thrushpaw looked at his sister, but she was staring at the place where Streampaw had disappeared. "Bloom-"

"Come on," Bloompaw interrupted before he could speak. "We better get back to camp."

"But I haven't got any prey. That girl scared all mine away."

"Tough luck," Bloompaw snapped, but then her eyes softened. "You can carry some of mine," she said, her voice definitely less cold. "You know, I don't think you're scum. I just don't want to see you get hurt."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rustypaw glared at the setting sun with an anger unlike himself. It was a calm anger though, something he could easily handle. How on earth could this mission get any more difficult. First he'd had to contact the other cats, but then, he had to go and get himself stuck in camp? In trying to access Thrushpaw, he'd crossed the border and tried to find his way to StormClan camp. It had all come to a crashing end when the StormClan deputy had caught him and returned him to his own camp.

Smashstar had been furious, especially when Rustypaw had refused to tell her why he'd gone over. Having to explain that he was an ancient StormClan leader reborn and that there were three other ancient reborn leaders was too much. Not like she'd believe him.

Her reaction had been to confine him to the camp for the next several days. If he could prove himself a worthy apprentice by doing apprentice chores, then he'd been allowed back out. In the meantime, if he ever _did_ go out- not like he would –he would have to have a warrior escort. Good to know for the times that he would be changing the elders' bedding. Or sneaking out on secret missions.

His heart beat a little faster with the thought that he was going to have to sneak out of camp tonight to contact the others. He only hoped that Thrushpaw knew to be there, as he certainly had never told him.

Soft pawsteps resounded behind him, someone's feathery touch relaxed his taut shoulders. "You're not still mad, are you?" his best friend, Dewpaw, said from behind. Dewpaw was a pretty gray she-cat with green eyes. Rustypaw couldn't help but fancy her a bit. She was very friendly, and very sweet. Even her scent was not entirely like the rest of HillClans', with a gentle sort of smell, almost like the scent just before or after rain.

"No," he said, trying to mean it. "It was my fault."

Dewpaw stepped in front of him to face him full on. "Why did you do it, anyway?"

He looked away. Rustypaw really hated lying to her like this. Dewpaw valued honesty, something that made him always trust her. How she would hate it to know he was lying. "I told you. I wanted to know if StormClan life was like ours?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Then why didn't you just ask Tigerfang or Coralfoot?"

Rustypaw hissed, "Why should I trust them?" Tigerfang had joined HillClan when Rustypaw and Dewpaw were just little sprouts. Coralfoot had joined shortly after, but she had been an apprentice at the time. Neither of them had yet done anything to prove themselves disloyal to HillClan, but a good majority of the Clan still didn't trust them. Rustypaw was sure he trusted Coralfoot. The young warrior had proved herself a very valuable member of the Clan, and had many a time proven herself loyal. Tigerfang, however, was another story. Rustypaw couldn't put his paw on it, but he was not entirely trusting of the dark tabby warrior, who kept shooting glances towards StormClan land when he thought no one was looking.

Fear struck through Rustypaw at a new thought. Would his Clanmates trust him again after he left them? Surely he would be considered even more loyal by his travels. After all, he was travelling on the will of SoulClan to save his Clanmates. And yet, he was certain that leaving them, even if it meant ultimately saving them, would be considered a betrayal by many. He could almost see their angry faces. Glancing at Dewpaw's narrowed eyes, he tried not to imagine what her anger would be if she found out.

Together they padded into the apprentices' den and laid down to sleep. Only Rustypaw couldn't sleep. He would have to stay awake until it was time to sneak out. This was his time to plan how he was going to get in and out of the camp. Obviously, the entrance was not an option. Maizeheart was on duty. Maizeheart was very perceptive, but not a very kind cat.

Rustypaw was going to have to sneak through the camp wall. Perhaps at the dirtplace would be easiest. He would be able get through easily without disturbing anyone. Or better yet, without anyone disturbing him.

It was hard not to sleep while the Clan around him settled into rest. Every once in a while, Rustypaw would catch himself falling into rest, and would have to shift around in his nest to get less comfortable. The night seemed to take forever. Was that murmuring he heard? Maizeheart did a once over the camp, and Rustypaw could just see his sneering face directed at himself through his slits for eyes. Shrewpaw got up to go the dirtplace and then settled in sleepily into his nest.

After he was sure the rest of the Clan was asleep and Maizeheart was securely out at the entrance, Rustypaw sat up. He was tired, there was no denying. But Fallenstar's face loomed out of the back of his eyelids and he knew he had to go then. As he stood and shook the moss from his pelt, Dewpaw sat up. Her eyes were blinking slowly, as if she were still sleepy, and her breathing was slow.

"Where're you goin?" she asked. Her words slurred together.

Rustypaw felt a huge strain in his chest. Every part of him yearned to tell her the truth. Trust was something she valued. But if she knew, she might alert Maizeheart and keep him there. She might think him a traitor. Maybe she'd want to come with him. His heart pounded. He'd _love_ to go on a secret mission with Dewpaw, to fight beside her and face whatever they were facing with her. It would be good to have a familiar face, a familiar smell, something to remind him why he was going beside him the whole way. Yet he knew that it wasn't possible. This mission was for him alone out of HillClan. Dewpaw was needed here.

Besides, she looked so sleepy he wasn't sure she'd make it the whole way to the Circle Quad.

"I'm just using the dirtplace, go back to sleep." He watched as she nodded blearily and rested her head against her paws. Once he was sure she was asleep again, it was time to act.

Carefully, Rustypaw pushed his way out of the apprentices' den and made his way to the dirtplace. He stepped inside quickly and made dirt. Looking around, he saw that no one was really awake. Maizeheart's form was not discernable at the camp entrance. Seizing his chance, Rustypaw squeezed through the barbs in the dirtplace and forced his way out of camp.

HillClan territory looked eerie at night. Behind him, the camp wall loomed out of the darkness, imposing in it's own way. He knew on the other side were stones and rocks that formed large hills, boulders so big they couldn't be climbed. In the darkness, they could not be made out. Looking forward, he could see a dim light at the small Thunderpath. There were no monsters.

Racing forward was not an option. Where he was now was close to the barbs they had constructed the camp walls out of. These low growing vines were nearly impossible to get through on normal circumstances. At night, he wouldn't be able to get through them at all. During the day, he could easily race down the hill and cross the Thunderpath. Now, he had to slowly make his way forward and place his paws one step at a time. Given a few moments, he began to get used to the sensation. Tonight was the half-moon, he realized weakly. Ordinarily, the medicine cats met on the half moon at the Circle Quad and made their way into the Light Camp. But that was going to happen tomorrow night, since the half-moon usually lasted two days.

_Lucky us._ Rustypaw thought.

By now he had reached the Thunderpath, and true fear crept up on him. How would he be able to cross? He could not see any approaching vehicles and could not tell if anyone was coming. Timidly, he placed a paw on the cool stone surface, but then instantly retracted it. He tried to imagine what Wheattail would do, but this just gave him a headache. His brave mentor would not dare to sneak out of camp and meet up with cats from the other Clans like this.

"It's all for HillClan," he reminded himself gently, and pushed onward. His heart racing, he moved as fast as his legs would let him and practically flew across the thunderpath. From here, it was a steep upward climb to the Circle Quad. This was harder than he had imagined, as the grass was slippery from already formed morning dew and his paws couldn't easily find a grip.

Before he knew it, however, he was at the top and facing the large sandy circle, glowing strangely in the moonlight.

"Good, you're here," said a brisk voice, and Rustypaw looked up. There were others. Thrushpaw was still making his way toward them out of the darkness, but clearly, all four of them were there.

"Now what?" Rustypaw couldn't help but ask out loud.

The others ignored him. "I'm glad you made it! Streampaw told me," Thrushpaw added, indicating the silver she-cat where she stood gleaming in the moonlight. All their eyes glowed unnaturally bright. "I'd heard you were in a lot of trouble for trying to get into my land. I'm sorry to cause you such pain."

"No worries," Rustypaw said calmly. "Smashstar confined me to camp, but obviously, I was able to get out anyway…"

"Good thing too!" Fallenpaw chirped happily. "The prophecy cannot be complete without you. Well, that's what Streamstar told me anyway."

"Yeah," Thrushpaw said. "Rustystar told me that each of us had been placed strategically where we were needed. Poor HillClan can't go on without you Rustypaw." There was an edge of sarcasm in his voice, friendly, but irritating just the same.

Streampaw spoke before Rustypaw could retort, however, "So I think that this prophecy is pretty straight forward. All four of us have to travel far away to find something and bring it back to the Clans. That will save them."

For a moment, none of the other three spoke, but just stared at the silver glowing she-cat. "That's what it means?" Thrushpaw asked at last. "I had no idea what he was talking about."

"You think we need to go and find something?" Fallenpaw asked.

"And bring it back here?" Rustypaw added.

Streampaw looked mildly miffed. "Well what did you all think it meant? They said we had to travel to the ends of the earth and back to save the Clans. What else could we be doing?"

"I think that's brilliant," Fallenpaw said quietly. "It all makes sense. We have to go and find whatever it is that will save the Clan!"

The thrill of this discovery was worn out of Rustypaw at his next thought, which he shared aloud. "Well what are we supposed to find?"

Once again, nobody spoke.

"I guess we'll find out on the way," Streampaw said, standing up. "But if we're going to get moving, we'd better go now."

"Wha-get moving?" Thrushpaw spluttered, and Rustypaw was glad that it was the StormClan apprentice saying it and not himself. "You mean _tonight? Right now?_"

"Of course," Streampaw said rationally. "The prophecy didn't specify a leaving time, but they came to us now to warn us, so I'm assuming that now is the time they want us to leave."

"But we're still apprentices! We don't know where to go!"

Rustypaw broke in, "It doesn't matter. Remember what they said in our dreams, 'Its our spirits that will guide us.'? We're the living reincarnation of the spirits of ancient ancestors. I guess it doesn't matter if we have our warrior names yet, because as long as we have basic training and knowledge, our ancestors will guide us."

"He's right," Fallenpaw interjected. "And we don't know when this danger is going to come. I say the sooner we get what it is we're looking for, the better."

Much to Rustypaw's interest, Thrushpaw didn't argue with the pretty WaterClan she-cat. "You're right. So where are we going?"

They all thought about it. "It must be where no cat has gone before," Rustypaw said thoughtfully. "Otherwise, we would have already found it."

"So we know it can't be beyond FireClan or StormClan territory," Streampaw said matter-of-factly. "Because we know beyond both FireClan borders is the old Clique land, and beyond both StormClan borders is the city."

"It can't be beyond WaterClan land, because MoonClan traveled that way," Fallenpaw said. "And I'm sure they would have told us about any interesting finds."

Rustypaw wasn't too sure about that, but instead he focused on HillClan's outer borders. "Beyond the sunrise side of HillClan land is the city, but on the other side of HillClan land, I don't know what's there."

"I've never heard of any Clan cat traveling that way either," Streampaw said thoughtfully. "My father used to talk about traveling a lot when I was a kit, but he never mentioned beyond that border."

"So is that where we're going?" Thrushpaw asked. "Beyond the HillClan border against the Thunderpath?"

"Sounds like," Fallenpaw answered. "Since nobody knows what's back there, where we're looking for must be in that direction."

Rustypaw shared his thought again with the group, "But for how far? SoulClan said we'd be traveling to the end of the earth and back."

To that question, nobody had an answer.

After a moment, Streampaw turned to Rustypaw. "Lead the way, oh great Rustypaw."

This confused him. "What?"

Fallenpaw answered. "We're going to have to go through HillClan land to get out, and you're the only one who knows the way."

"Oh yeah, right." Rustypaw felt a twinge of betrayal looming in his chest. It as one thing to sneak off in the middle of the night on a hero's quest, but leading cats from other Clans through HillClan land was definitely treacherous. He couldn't do it. What if Smashstar found out? Certainly the dawn patrol would smell their scent, and know that Rustypaw had lead the way out. What would they tell Smashstar and Talonfang? Dewpaw would surely think of him as a traitor.

And yet, this was part of the mission. Rustypaw had already committed himself to leaving his Clan for the better of everyone in it. This was his first _true_ test as a loyal HillClan cat. He'd have to prove that he would do anything to save his Clanmates from whatever disaster was awaiting them. Anything meant anything, including bringing strangers into the territory.

Gathering his wits about him, Rustypaw lifted his tail and began the decent into HillClan territory. Looming ahead of them distantly was the hill into which the camp was settled. He thought he could just make out the dark mass into the hillside ahead of them.

Very suddenly from behind him came a hard shove and muffled "oof!" He slid ungracefully for a few moments on the wet grass before he was able to get a grip. Whirling around, he knew immediately what had happened. Thrushpaw had slipped, knocking Streampaw down into him. Fallenpaw alone looked stable on the sleek ground.

"It's slippery here," Rustypaw warned impatiently. "You have to be careful."

"Sorry," Thrushpaw gasped, pulling himself to his feet.

"Not everyone is used to this kind of ground," Streampaw reminded him harshly. "In FireClan, we don't have wet grass under the trees."

"And we weave through the undergrowth in StormClan," Thrushpaw added.

"That's part of the mission though," Rustypaw explained patiently. "We'll learn to handle new things as we go, I guess."

"In WaterClan we have to balance on the wet rocks," Fallenpaw explained quietly. "But not on the grass. Just focus on your legs. If you hold yourself just right, it gets a little easier."

Rustypaw took a deep breath. "Look, I know that you guys are new at this, but we have to move quickly if we want to get out of HillClan territory by sunup. And since you guys don't know HillClan life as well as I do, trust me when I say we need to be out of here before sunup."

The others only nodded.

Walking more carefully now, the foursome slowly picked their way down to Three Pines. Right in front of them sat the small thunderpath, still dormant. In the sky just beyond the top of the hill, there was a light gray bleeding into the black of night. Rustypaw stared at it in alarm. They were not yet out of HillClan land. The sun could not come out now. He knew that back at camp, Talonfang was already being woken by Maizeheart as the young warrior ended his shift. The deputy would then wake the chosen cats for dawn patrol and get the camp basically running for the day. By the time the disk of the sun peaked the horizon, dawn patrol would set out, Smashstar would wake up, and the Clan would get going for the day.

Rustypaw turned to his fellow travellers. "I think we should we should follow the thunderpath."

"Why?" Streampaw asked, ever stubborn.

"Because it leads right out of the territory. It is also less traveled by HillClan cats."

"Yeah, because monsters travel on that path and kill cats!" Fallenpaw wailed, frightened.

"Don't worry," Thrushpaw jumped in, touching his nose to her ear. "Monsters are big and loud, and you can easily smell them coming. Besides, we don't have to walk _on_ the thunderpath, we can just walk alongside it."

Fallenpaw nodded while Streampaw stared, thoughtfully at the path. Thrushpaw stepped forward and looked up and down the path. "Be careful," Fallenpaw warned unnecessarily. Rustypaw exchanged a glance with Streampaw. Already these two were mooning over one another. This was going to be annoying.

"What's up there?" Fallenpaw asked innocently, staring up at the hill looming before them.

"Camp," Rustypaw admitted. "And some rocky hunting grounds. Good for snakes."

The cats all looked at each other in confusion and disgust. "Alright, let's go," Streampaw said at last.

Together, they picked their way across Three Pines and began their travels out of HillClan land. The border wasn't too far. All they had to do was cross the small thunderpath and they'd be good to go. Rustypaw's nostrils were filled with the scent of the thunderpath, so he had to rely on his other senses to know when the little thunderpath was coming. He knew it branched off the main line somewhere up ahead. This was not a path normally walked by the Clan. To say it was not well worn was an understatement. Before long, the cats found themselves covered in scratches as they battled the dense undergrowth in their haste to get out before sunrise.

There was a break in the trees ahead. Excitement coursed through Rustypaw as he realized that they were approaching the edge of the territory. Soon, they would be out. Eager, he jumped out of the underbrush and rushed toward the end. He had nearly crossed it when he heard her voice from behind.

"Rustypaw!"

Shock coursed through him as Dewpaw's shriek filled him. Fear numbed his limbs and he skidded ungraciously to a halt. Shaking a little, he turned to face her. She stood at the edge of the undergrowth, staring at him with wide, hurt eyes. Beside him, his comrades bristled.

"Who is _she_?" Streampaw snarled.

"What is she doing here?" Fallenpaw demanded.

"Uh oh," Thrushpaw muttered along with a stream of curses.

Between his comrade's frustration and his own fear, Rustypaw had nothing to say.

They stared at each other for a long minute. "Where are going?" Dewpaw asked finally. "Why are they with you?"

Her voice, worried but not angry, shook the fear from Rustypaw's pelt. He took a step toward her and admitted, "I don't know where we're going, but it's they're with me because they too were charged by SoulClan."

Dewpaw looked confused. "SoulClan? What on earth do you mean?"

He could feel his comrade's tension behind him, and he knew that none of them were keen on sharing this mission with their Clanmates. Despite this, Rustypaw took a deep breath and began explaining. It wasn't just because he liked Dewpaw that he decided to tell her the truth. Dewpaw had probably tracked him here all the way from the camp. She deserved to know the truth after all the lies she had suffered. Also, there was a slim chance that she would let him go without attracting attention to his absence if she didn't know the truth.

By the time he was done, the sun had broken the horizon.

Dewpaw stared, not at him, but past him, into her own thoughts. "So SoulClan chose _you_?" she asked at last. "All of you?" Suddenly her eyes widened. "Where will you go?"

"We don't know," Rustypaw answered. "But there's a way you can help us."

Dewpaw nodded. "Anything."

"You need to not say anything," he pleaded. "Try to draw as much attention away from my absence as you can."

Her face turned serious. "The camp will know you're gone, Rustypaw. You were confined to camp."

"I know, but any help we can get…"

"I'll do my best," she promised, and Rustypaw knew that she would.

Streampaw chose to speak right then. "I hate to break up your sorrowful goodbyes, but we gotta go _now_."

Rustypaw bowed his head. "You're right." Quickly, he touched his nose to Dewpaw. "Good luck back home."

Her answer was thoughtful and honest, and it made Rustypaw's heart ache when he thought that he might not ever see her again. "No, good luck to you, all of you." Her eyes flashed ominously. "You're going to need it."

Rustypaw nodded, then turned to follow his friends out. As they raced past the border into the unknown land, he felt her eyes still on him. Even long after she was out of sight, he could still feel them there.


End file.
